Ostankino TV Tower Moscow
The highest building in Europe
Ostankinsky district is one of my favorites in Moscow. Here you can become acquainted with true Soviet architecture. It may look fussy, it may look tasteless, but here I can at least imagine what spirit the country I've never lived in had.
I know that a lily flower turned upside down was a prototype for this tower, but it really reminds me of a space rocket (just look at these illuminators at the base). The construction was carried out in the middle of the sixties, so there is no surprise that Ostankino tower is associated with space exploration, though any TV tower can fit such a comparison.
When I was a kid I visited the tower several times. So I missed it badly when it was closed for reconstruction after the 2000 fire. The period of reconstruction was so long that today many Moscovites don't even know that the tower was finally opened for visiting.
If you are sure about the time of visit I would recommend to book the excursion in advance, especially in summer. Though I had no problem visiting the tower arriving 30 minutes before the excursion started (new excursions start at the beginning of every hour).
The view itself is not that fascinating as, for example, from Vorobyovy Gory, because the tower is situated a little bit far from the city center. But the building itself is worth visiting. And don't forget to take a picture of yourself standing on the glass floor with 337 meters under you!
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